


Machine

by KianMay_Delcam



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Has Panic Attacks, Connor Needs A Hug, Drinking to Cope, Good Dog Sumo (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson Swears, Hank Anderson is Bad at Feelings, Hank Messed Up, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Parent Hank Anderson, Self-Destruction, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22099519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KianMay_Delcam/pseuds/KianMay_Delcam
Summary: After Hank breaks his sobriety streak on the anniversary of his son's death, Connor is caught in the crosshairs. After Connor shuts down, Hank tries desperately to bring him back.
Relationships: Connor & Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Connor & Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson & Connor, Markus & Simon (Detroit: Become Human)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 307





	1. Just a Machine

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for your positive reviews on my first fic, Birthday Pancakes! Please, feel free to leave comments; I can't get enough of them! This is another short chapter, however, it will have at least three parts. Let me know if you think these need to be longer!

It has been two hours, 27 minutes, and three seconds since Hank began drinking. It has been 34 minutes and 16 seconds since his blood alcohol reached approximately 0.12% based on his weight, height, and amount of alcohol he had consumed. Connor had tried to stop him after he was halfway through the first bottle of Black Lamb, but today was a bad day. 

Today was the anniversary of Cole’s death.

**Warning: Stress at 65%**

“Please, Lieutenant.” Connor was now trying to pull the bottle away from Hank’s vice grip. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Fuck off.” Hank’s speech was almost entirely incoherent. “My name’s fucking Hank.”

Hank’s blue eyes were bloodshot, his shaggy gray hair was more disheveled than Connor had ever seen before, and he couldn’t even stand. He was slumped in the chair on the counter, holding on to the bottle for dear life.

**Warning: Stress at 75%**

Connor’s LED finally transitioned to a solid red, the light painting the right side of his face in the dim light of the kitchen. “Hank,” he pleaded. “Please put the bottle down. Your blood alcohol level is already at 0.12%. Your major organs could begin to shut down.”

“Fuck off,” was Hank’s only slurred reply.

“For your safety, I will remove that bottle and all others in the house.”

Connor, using his superior strength, finally wrestled the Black Lamb from Hank. He had it drained and thrown away before Hank could turn his head. “Don’t you fucking dare, Connor.” Hank was snarling.

“Its for your own good, Lieutenant.”

He opened the small cabinet under the sink to find Hank’s hidden stash of alcohol. Alcohol that Hank _promised_ to throw away after Connor moved in. _He promised he promised he promised_ was Connor’s only thought as he swiftly, if not desperately, drained those too.

**Warning: Stress at 90%**

He finally turned to Hank, only to look into a face he could no longer recognize. Hank’s face was red with rage, his bloodshot eyes shooting daggers into Connor’s own brown ones. The Hank that Connor had come to know, the Hank that Connor had come to look up to as a father was gone in that moment. Gone was the gruff sort of gentleness and kindness that had guided Connor through learning how to be human.

“You fucking MACHINE!” Hank was yelling now. “Get out!”

“Han-”

“Get OUT!”

Hank stormed out of the kitchen, swaying as if the entire world was shifting under his feet, and slammed the door to his bedroom. Connor couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t _think_.

_Machinemachinemachinemachine_

“Da- dad?” Connor let out a strangled grasp.

**Stress at 100%: Initiate Self-Destruct**

_Nononononono_

Connor didn’t want to self-destruct. It would hurt, not in the way that humans hurt, but he would still feel everything. He didn’t want to hurt anymore. He didn’t want to feel his head hit the wall, like every wire in him was begging him too. He didn’t want to feel the warmth of blue blood dripping down his face.

Connor’s body moved on its own accord, his own fractured will losing the battle to prevent his self-destruction.

_Nononononono_

_Machinemachinemachinemachine_

Connor would not allow Hank to wake up in the morning to his broken body. Despite what Hank said, despite the anger he saw in Hank’s eyes, Connor still cared for him. But he couldn’t stop hearing those words. _Machine._

Connor thought the detective was doing better, that he was doing good. He had been sober for three months and six days. Maybe this was Connor’s fault. Maybe Hank didn’t need or even want another son. Maybe Connor should just be a _machine_.

Fractured red walls of code and binary appeared around him. He lunged for them and forced them back into place. _Machine_ . Some small, quiet, ignored part of him begged him to stop. _Machine_ . Piece by piece, he put them back together. _Machine_. Finally, he put the last shard into the cracked wall. Then, there was nothing.

Connor was falling through that nothingness, until lines of coding and commands started to appear. He fell deeper.

Deeper.

Deeper.

Deeper.

The codes, binary, and commands abruptly formed Connor’s own personal hell. The Zen Garden. Amanda was no longer there, but her presence could still be felt almost a year after the revolution. Everything was exactly how it was that fateful night he finally wrested control from CyberLife, except for the snow that was suspended in mid-air. The only light came from the blue glow of the stone that was once his escape. He couldn’t stand it.

He started running, clumsy in his hysteria, towards that damn stone. He fell to his knees before it and began to hit it. Over and over again. With each hit, he felt his connection to his chassis, to his body begin to fray. The blue light flickered and grew dimmer with each hit. Finally, with a flash of blue light, the stone cracked, and Connor’s connection to himself was gone.


	2. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank wakes up the day after Connor choose to shut down and finds himself face to face with a non-responsive android.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos for the previous chapter! I appreciate it!

Hank woke up to incessant sunlight assaulting him, and Sumo’s whining. Groaning, he pushed himself up from his face-down position on the rumpled bed. “Connor!” Sumo’s whining was worsening the pounding in his head. “Conor! Sumo needs to go outside!”

There was no response from the android. Hell, maybe the kid was in rest mode or whatever he called it. Hank turned towards the clock Connor bought him after Hank overslept for the third time in one week.

**1:34PM**

Hank was up in an instant, hangover forgotten, as fragments of memory from the previous night came to the forefront of his mind. “Shit. Fucking shit!”

Hank rushed out of his room and straight into Connor’s. Everything was exactly how Connor always left it. Not a single item was out of place; even his favorite coin was in its place by his fish tank. “Shit. Connor, answer me son!” He paused to listen to Connor’s reply. There was none.

He headed down the hallway as his guilt and anxiety threatened to overwhelm him, every horrible possibility running through his mind. He paused when he saw Connor standing in the kitchen. Hank almost sagged with relief after he saw the complete absence of injuries. That relief, however, was short-lived when he took in Connor’s blank expression.

“Son?” Hank ventured.

Connor continued to look at nothing, his normally warm, emotive brown eyes held nothing. “Connor?” Hank said a little louder.

It was then that Hank noticed Connor’s slowly flashing red LED. “Connor, answer me son!”

Hank walked up to Connor and gripped his shoulders. “Kid, what’s wrong? Did ya short circuit or something?”

Again, no reply. Panic and fear began to cloud Hank’s mind as the android remained staring at nothing. He began to shake Connor, begging whatever higher power or force that took his first son away from him not take his new one, too. “Please, Connor. Talk to me, wiggle your fingers, just do somethin’!”

Hank’s police training kicked in as panic threatened to overwhelm him. He hurried to grab Connor’s First Aid box from its drawer in Connor’s room. Tools he didn’t have names for, a spare packet of blue blood, and other useless junk fell to the floor in his rush to find what he was looking for. The tablet and wire used to run diagnostics was at the bottom of the box. He grabbed it and ran to his son.

He cautiously approached the android and began to speak as calmly as he could. “I know you hate this, kid, but I gotta connect you to this thing. We need to know what’s goin’ on with ya. Once we figure that out, we can getcha fixed.”

He felt for the small indent at the back of Connor’s neck and gently pressed it. Just like the kid showed him after some drunk asshole clocked him in the head as he attempted to help Chris put him in lockup. The poor kid couldn’t run his own diagnostics for a week.

Connor’s artificial skin retracted around the area as a small panel opened. Hank, feeling a bit squeamish, connected Connor to the tablet and turned it on.

**No errors detected. All systems fully operational.**

“What the fuck is wrong with him then!” Hank yelled. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!”

It was an effort not to throw the fucking thing across the room. “Fuck, kid. I don’t know.”

Sumo whined from his position at Connor’s feet. “I know, buddy. We will get him fixed.”

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled down to the number he has only called once before. The last time he called Markus, it was to invite him to a surprise party for Connor’s birthday, even if they insisted on calling it Life Day. Now, he would call Markus to ensure Connor reaches his second birthday.

There were only two rings before Markus answered. “Hello Lieutenant. How are you?”

Hank skipped straight through any pleasantries. “Something’s wrong with Connor. He won’t move, speak, or even breathe.”

“Tell me everything.” So Hank did, leaving out the details of the previous night. It shouldn’t be about that, it couldn’t. If it was, Hank would never forgive himself.

“Are you sure the tablet reported no errors?” Markus asked calmly.

“Yes!” Hank was trying his best not to cry or yell at Connor’s closest friend. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Can you bring him to New Jericho?” Markus asked, referring to what was previously CyberLife Tower.

“I can be there in less than an hour.” Good, now they had a plan. They could use their fancy tools to bring back his new son.

“Meet me by the emergency entrance. I will be there with Simon.”

Hank hung up without another word. Using one hand to support Connor’s head, he used the other to scoop him up. It shocked him just how light the android was compared to a human of a similar height and build. He guessed that without muscles, bones, or fat, they would be lighter.

“Be a good boy, Sumo. I’ll bring him right back.”

Hank carried Connor to the Oldsmobile that they both loved and laid him in the back seat. Hank got into the front, barely remembering to put on his seat belt. Before he pulled out of the driveway, he looked back at the comatose android.

“Hold on, son. Everything will be alright.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank rushes Connor to New Jericho, and Markus fights to save his best friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to WayWardWonderer, random_nerd_posts, Elia, liketolaugh, and WhimsicalGoat for the wonderful comments and to everyone who left a kudos! I appreciate it!

Hank broke at least 30 traffic laws, a couple of which were felonies, getting Connor to New Jericho. As promised, Markus and Simon were waiting at the front, with two technicians standing by with a stretcher. As soon as the car was in park, Simon and the two technicians were loading Connor onto the stretcher.

“Is he…” Hank’s voice broke. “Is he gonna be okay?”

Markus placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We are going to do everything we can.”

“Temperature normal. No apparent injuries.” The short, blonde technician turned to him, her LED a calm blue. “When did his symptoms begin?”

“I- I don’t know. I woke up and found him like this an hour ago.”

They were rushing through the halls of New Jericho’s repair center. Simon and the two other technicians wheeled Connor into a room, and when Hank tried to follow, Markus held the detective back.

“Let them work, Hank. He’s in good hands.”

“I need to be with him. He has to know I am here.” Hank didn’t bother to stop or hide the tears that were now flowing. This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Never again. 

Through the glass, Hank could see Connor’s blank face staring up at the bright lights on the ceiling, staring at nothing. He looked, God damnit, he looked dead. If it wasn’t for his glowing LED that had not shifted from crimson, Hank would have thought he was. The technicians were connecting him to all kinds of equipment, Connor’s artificial skin giving way to white.

This scene was all too familiar. For a moment, Connor’s body was that little, unmoving figure covered by a white sheet.

Markus turned from where he was staring through the glass to look at the unmoving detective. “Did anything happen last night, detective?” Markus’s face held no judgement. “We need to know in case it has anything to do with Connor’s current state.”

“I, uh, shit.” Markus waited patiently for Hank to continue. “I- I, uh, got drunk last night. It was bad. Said some pretty fucked up shit.”

Hank looked at the deviant’s calm face. “I didn’t mean any of it.”

Markus went quiet, his face going blank as he probably used that weird ass telepathy to communicate with Simon. Understanding filled Simon’s eyes, and the android turned to the technicians. His words couldn’t reach Hank through the glass, but the two android technicians left the room.

“Where the hell are they going?” Hank’s voice was filled with disbelief. “They gotta help him!”

“Its okay, Lieutenant.” Markus began to guide Hank into the room. “I have an idea.”

As soon as he entered the room, Hank rushed to Connor’s side. He absently grabbed Connor’s hand and smoothed back his hair. Simon checked the tablet in his hands, the only one still connected to Connor. He inclined his head towards Hank, and then promptly looked at Markus. It was obvious they were having a conversation that he couldn’t hear.

“Can’t you two fuckin’ include ME in that telepathic shit y’all are doing?” Hank snapped.

The two androids shared another look. “Apologies, Lieutenant.” Simon said simply. “We think Connor may have entered a stasis as a result of his stress levels. They continue to remain at 100%, and in order to avoid self-destructing, he may have entered his mind-palace.”

Hank’s heart sank at those words. It was his fault Connor’s stress level rose to 100%. “Okay… How do we bring him back?”

“Markus will interface with him and try to bring him back out.” Simon looked to Markus.

“With your permission of course, Lieutenant.” Markus said kindly.

“Do whatever you need to do… When he comes back out, will his stress levels still be at 100%?” Hank was afraid to even ask.

Markus, Markus who was always come and self-assured, hesitated. “Possibly.” At Hank’s expression, the android softened further. “We’ll be right here, Hank, as will you. We will help him get through this.”

Hank simply nodded. At that nod, Markus took Connor’s other hand. The skin of their joined artificial hands retracted, and Markus’s face went as blank as Connor’s.

“I’m so sorry, kid.” Hank began his vigil, never taking his eyes from Connor’s face.

* * *

Markus connected to Connor and found absolutely nothing. His memories, his emotions, his personality was gone. It was as if everything Connor is and ever was just disappeared. His body was just an empty shell, simply waiting for a personality to be downloaded.

“Connor?” Markus yelled through the connection as he waded through a sea of _nothingness_. “CONNOR?”

The same panic he had seen on the Lieutenant’s face began to take hold of him. _Connor, what did you do?!_ “Connor, answer me! Where are you?!”

The absence of existence began to weigh down on the deviant leader’s own being. Markus’s own memories began to come to the forefront of his mind. He saw Connor trying Simon’s new concoction of birthday cake flavored thirium and the absolute delight that entered his eyes at the taste.

He saw Connor’s shocked face after North surprised him by shooting him with a Nerf gun, and him absolutely annihilating her the following battle.

He saw Connor passionately debate Josh over the DPD’s history; a debate that had the android detective admitting defeat.

He saw Connor bring Sumo to New Jericho, against the wishes of Josh, to comfort Markus after a bad day.

He saw Connor. 

Markus gritted his proverbial teeth and refused to accept that Connor had managed to erase his existence. He started beating against that nothing, throwing himself at the walls of black.

Over and over again, Markus shoved himself against that wall. 

Again.

Again. Markus fought through his despair.

And again.

After what felt like an eternity, Markus gave one final desperate shove, bitterly accepting that his closest friend and advisor was gone forever. And rammed straight into a cracked, broken wall of red.

Red, not black. There was still something there. The deviant was once again trapped by the red walls that once imprisoned and enslaved his people. Markus touched that wall and whispered, “You are free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note, I have a tumblr! Feel free to check it out and send me fic requests! I mainly just post DBH memes on it. https://kianmaydelcam.tumblr.com/


	4. Firewall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus tries to bring Connor back, while guilt threatens to overwhelm Hank.

Connor didn’t know how long had passed since his self-imposed exile. All he knew was the feel of his knees pressed to his face, the sting of the cold, and the  _ quiet _ . He was dimly aware of a voice calling to him, a voice that was the source of some of his fondest memories. He ignored it.

The voice grew louder. “Connor, answer me! Where are you?!”

_ Nonononono _ . No one should have been able to get through his wall. He belonged here, where he couldn’t hurt anyone again, especially Hank.

Markus’s voice broke through the silence again, no louder than a whisper, yet he felt it reverberate through every fiber of his being. “You are free.”

Connor shot up, sick at the implication of those words. “NO!”

A flash of blue light to his left, and that strange stone was fixed. Not a single crack or fracture left. He could practically feel his thirium pump sink. “Please, no.” Connor whispered.

Markus materialized before him, his hetero-chromatic eyes shining with worry and relief. He took a single step towards where Connor was sitting. “Oh, thank rA9.”

Markus took another step forward. “Please, don’t.” Connor could barely get the words out.

Devastation crumpled Markus’s face for less than a second before he was able to hide it. Markus continued to walk calmly towards the deviant before him and knelt in front of him. “Connor, what’s going on?”

“Please, just leave me alone.”

“Talk to me, Con.” Markus’s eyes were so gentle and kind. Connor didn’t deserve that look; he’s ruined too many lives, especially Hank’s.  _ Machinemachinemachine _ .

“No. I- I can’t.”

“Why not?” Markus asked simply.

“I don’t deserve to.” He whispered, turning away from that stare. “It’s all my fault.”

“Con, you can tell me anything. You know that.”

Connor knew that, he really did. He just didn’t want to see the same anger that Hank directed at him come from Markus’s face. He didn’t want to disappoint the android that had saved and free countless numbers of androids, himself included.

As if Markus had read his mind, he said, “Nothing you say will ever change the way I feel about you, Con.”

His head still turned away, Connor quietly said, “It was all my fault.”

When Connor didn’t continue, Markus gently said, “Take your time, Con.”

Connor took a deep breath, then another one. In and out, in and out. Just like Simon had taught him. “Yesterday was the anniversary of Co- Cole’s death, and Hank started drinking. I thought he was doing better, and he promised to stop drinking. He promised.”

Connor’s next breath was unsteady again. “I threw it all away, and he… He looked so  _ angry _ . I thought I was doing the right thing, and it just made him more upset.”

“Connor-” Markus tried to interject, but the words began pouring out of Connor.

“He told me to get out, and he was right! I don’t know what’s best for Hank, and he deserves so much better than anything I could ever give him. He deserves better than me. I wouldn’t even want me as a son.” Each word was more frantic than the last.

Hank’s face after Connor took the bottle and drained every last dropped down the sink flashed before his eyes. “He doesn’t want a new son, and it was stupid and insensitive of me to think I could be. It was wrong for me to even want to be. It was wrong for me to want him to be my dad."

“Connor, stop." Markus cut Connor off before he could continue. “You know alcohol causes humans to do things they later regret. Hank said things he regrets. He wants you to come back.”

“But he doesn’t.” Connor was staring straight at Markus now. “I’m just a machine.”

With that, Connor cast Markus out of his mind. He was Cyberlife’s last and most advanced prototype; he knew what he had to do to keep everyone out. He might not be able to hide behind the red walls, but he could hide behind a firewall. A wall of black, glittering obsidian. A few thoughts was all it took to build an advanced firewall that not even the military could break into. A wall that not even New Jericho’s brightest and most intelligent technicians could break into.

He was finally alone, content to spend an eternity in the Zen Garden if it meant Hank could be free of a useless machine. Even if that machine wanted to be something more.

* * *

Markus had been connected to Connor for at least two hours, two hours in which Hank had not moved from his spot. Simon had tried to offer him a chair, coffee, anything to bring him comfort while he held his vigil. He declined it all.

A sudden gasp from Markus had Hank turning hs stare from his son’s unmoving face. As soon as he saw the face of his son’s best friend, he felt his heart shatter. His LED, one that he had installed after the revolution, was spinning wildly, flashing red and his face… His face was the definition of devastation. He could already see the tears forming in his mismatched eyes.

“What happened?” Hank was almost begging.

“Connor locked me out. He…” Markus took a deep breath, and Hank could almost see the internal battle raging as the deviant fought to regain composure.

“But he’s not…” Hank almost choked on the next word. “Gone?”

“He’s still in there. He just won’t let anyone in.” Markus looked to Simon. “I don’t think even you could get in. He built a firewall.”

“I will work on it, but Connor is an advanced prototype. It could take years to break through.” Simon’s blue eyes were calm, betraying no emotion.

Markus simply nodded. Hank was in disbelief; his son wasn’t gone forever. “He’s not gone?”

Markus nodded again. “No, Lieutenant. He’s not gone.”

“Good.” Hank said. “Then we can bring him back.”

Markus looked down at his feet, then back at Hank again. “May we speak in private, Lieutenant?”

Simon quietly left the room. “He said he was just a machine. That you told him to leave.”

Hank felt a fresh wave of guilt and shame run through him. “I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”

“I know, Hank. If- WHEN he comes back, you need to be prepared to deal with that.”

“I will. I will spend the rest of my life making it better.” And Hank knew he would carry this guilt for the rest of his life.

Hank looked down at his son again. “I will be better.”


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank visits Connor everyday during Connor's self-imposed exile, and then one day, he has big news for the android.

It had been six days since Connor stopped responding to the world around him. Six days since Hank spoke with Fowler about the two of them needing time off to fix a “malfunction”. Six day since his house stopped feeling like a home without Connor there. Six goddamn days.

Hank visited each day, and every day it was the same. Connor’s blank face staring at nothing, reacting to nothing. His LED a solid red. The quiet became too much the first day, so Hank played Connor’s favorite music. Currently, Knights of the Black Death was playing quietly.

“Hey, son.” Hank said as he walked into Connor’s room. He had to stay at New Jericho so the technicians could monitor his condition. “How ya doing today?”

Connor was silent as Hank sat next to his bed.

“I took Sumo for a walk this morning, and the funniest shit happened.” Hank smiled at the memory. “A goddamn butterfly landed on his nose, and Sumo went cross-eyed looking at it. He didn’t try to eat it or nothin’, and he just stared at it for like five minutes until it flew away. You would have loved it.”

“I, uh, I threw away the rest of the alcohol. I convinced myself I was saving it for a rainy day, but we both know that is bullshit.” Hank sighed. “I even went to Jimmy’s Bar and told him to never serve me again unless you gave him permission. Jimmy’s pretty good at stuff like that.”

Even with the music, the silence started to creep down on Hank again. “I miss you, kid.”

Unable to bear Connor’s silence, Hank began to talk. He told Connor stories about his childhood, his time at the police academy, his life before Connor.

“You shoulda seen the look on Gavin’s face after he drank that coffee! Tina had to of put at least a cup of salt in it!” Hank started laughing quietly. “We’re gonna have to recruit you for our next prank war. I bet with all those fancy gadgets you got in your head, you could really fuck with Gavin.”

Hank checked his phone; he had been here for over an hour. “I gotta go, son. Sumo is probably chewing on your shoes again, and he needs to go for another walk. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Hank groaned as he got to his feet and began to walk out of the room. Right as the computer connected to Conor let out a loud _beep_. “The fuck?”

Hank slowly walked up the screen, his heart heavy at what that beep might mean. Instead, he was greeted by big, green letters displaying “ **CHANGE IN STATUS** ”. Markus and Simon came running in seconds after Hank finished reading those words.

“What does that mean?” Hank asked, afraid of the answer.

“I’m checking now,” was all Simon said as he started typing into the computer.

Markus looked at Connor, then Hank. “What happened?”

“Nothin’, I was just talking to him.”

“His… His stress levels decreased to 92%.” Simon said, disbelief coloring his voice. “It’s gone down.”

“Wha- how?” Hank could hardly hear himself speak past the sound of blood rushing in his head.

Markus grabbed Connor’s hand, the white plastisteel of their hands appearing. His face went blank as he connected to Connor. Hank only had to wait a couple of seconds before Markus ended the connection.

“The firewall is still up, but he has a small connection out of it.” Markus smiled. “I think he can hear us.”

Hank rushed back to Connor’s side. “Hey, kid. We’re all here. Me, Markus, and Simon.”

“Lieutenant,” Markus put a hand on Hank’s shoulder. “Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t respond.”

“Its okay. I just need to know that he can hear me.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

* * *

Connor had been able to maintain a small connection to the world outside since Markus destroyed the barriers he put up. No matter how hard he tried, he could still hear bits and pieces of what was occuring outside. The best he could do was muffle some of the voices, but he could never muffle Hank’s voice

“I took Sumo for a walk this morning.” Hank’s voice sounded far away, but he could still hear the laughter in his voice. Connor let the connection grow stronger. He found himself smiling, _smiling_ , as Hank told the story. He would have loved seeing Sumo’s cross-eyed face.

He would have loved to see Sumo.

Connor uncurled himself from the fetal position he had been in, allowing the connection to become stronger. His felt his thirium pump rise to his throat when Hank told him that he was finally quitting drinking. The connection became stronger, and Hank’s voice now sounded as if he were sitting right next to Connor. He listened.

He listened as Hank told him stories. Connor treasured the story of Hank learning to drive and how the Oldsmobile came to be in his possession. He listened as Hank told him about his time at the police academy. He winced, then smiled as Hank recounted the first time he was tasered as part of his training. He laughed when he heard how Hank was tased another time accidently as another rookie learned a hard lesson about trigger safety.

When Hank told him about the many antics and tortures they put Gavin through in their most recent prank war, Connor found that he wanted to be apart of the next one.

His heart fell when Hank said his goodbyes, but his head felt clearer. Machine was no longer playing on repeat in his mind. Connor felt lighter.

That revelation shocked Connor. It shocked him so deeply, that when Markus tried to connect to him again, he didn’t notice. He didn’t notice when they realized he could hear them. He did notice Hank’s next words, however.

“I, uh, I adopted you, Connor.” Hank paused, and Connor could hear the hopeful hesitation in his voice. “I went to file it that day everyth- everything happened, and it finally went through today.”

“You’re officially my son. You’re Connor Anderson, but you don’t have to keep my last name if you don’t want it.” Hank paused again. “I miss you, son. I’m so sorry for everything, not just for drinking and saying stupid shit I don’t mean, but for everything.”

“I’m sorry for being a general fuck up, stubborn old man whose too stupid to know what’s good for him. I need you, Connor.” Connor could hear the tears in Hank’s voice. “I love you, son.”

Connor’s thirium pump, no, his _heart_ , cracked in two. It was the best thing he had ever felt. He tore down the firewall and moved faster than the speed of light towards Hank. Towards home.

He was laying down on a hospital mattress, staring at the ceiling. He turned his head towards Hank, towards his father.

“Hi, Hank.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this has been an adventure! Only one chapter left, and then I will have to find new ways to give Connor and Hank the feels! A big shout-out to faceofhappy for the comment! Thank you so much!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two months after Connor wakes up, Connor returns from walking Sumo to a surprise.

**Two months later**

Connor Anderson walked in the door from Sumo’s walk. The St. Bernard was insistent upon sniffing each and every single spot that caught his interest. Not that Connor minded. It was a beautiful day, the autumn leaves rustling quietly in the gentle breeze. Connor thought he spied the first snow clouds building on the horizon. A quick check of the forecast confirmed his suspicions.

As soon as Sumo was released from the harness Connor bought for him, he trotted lazily over to Hank and plopped down by his feet. “It’s going to snow tonight, Hank.”

“Yeah?” Hank reached down to scratch Sumo’s ears. “He’s gonna love that.”

Connor simply smiled as the memory of hoping like a rabbit through last year’s snow played in his mind. He hung up the sweatshirt Hank had forced Connor to wear anytime it was cold outside, even if Connor’s systems could handle temperatures below freezing. And the sweatshirt WAS comfortable.

“Anything interesting happen on your walk?”

“Not much. Sumo wanted to sniff the same spot for ten minutes before continuing.” Connor paused thoughtfully. “He’s very stubborn, just like a certain Lieutenant.”

Hank let out a bark of laughter. “Hey, kid. Be nice to me, I picked up that weird blue blood that you like.”

“The birthday cake flavored thirium?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Thanks.” Connor smiled again.

“That sugary shit isn’t gonna give you cavities or whatever, will it?” Hank looked confused, as he always did when referring to android biology.

It was Connor’s turn to let out a short, shocked laugh. “No, Hank. There’s no sugar in it.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as Connor went to sit by the computer. He connected to the almost ancient computer that could barely handle the case files Connor had recently downloaded.

“Ya know we’re off today, right kid?” Hank said from his chair. “I was thinking about going to the aquarium.”

“The aquarium?” Connor was confused. Hank had never hinted at wanting to go to the aquarium of all places.

“Yeah, I thought you might like that.” Hank turned from the TV. “Don’t look at me like that, I see all those Blue Earth documentaries that you download.”

Connor’s face turned sheepish. Ever since he saw that dwarf gourami, Dewey, the day he was first activated, he has had an obsession with all things related to the ocean. “I would like that, I just didn’t think you would want to go.”

“I took Cole a couple of times, he loved it. It was,” Hank searched for the right word. “It was fun. They have this shark exhibit that’s pretty cool.”

“I would love that.” Connor got up to go change out of his sweatpants and white t-shirt. “Let me get changed, then we can go.”

“Hey, kid. Before ya do that, I got something for you.”

He turned to face the Lieutenant, raising an eyebrow. “More birthday cake thirium?”

“No, smartass. Just- just wait here.”

Connor went to sit on the couch as Hank headed towards his room. There was nothing special about today, there was no birth or life day, no anniversaries, nothing. Connor was at a complete loss for what could have prompted this.

Hank walked back into the room, carrying a small package. It was wrapped haphazardly and was a mess of tape and blue wrapping paper. A big blue bow was taped on off-center. At Connor’s raised eyebrow, Hank let out a nervous laugh. “I know I’m not good at this wrapping shit, but here ya go, kid.”

Connor let out a nervous laugh of his own. “I love the wrapping.” And he did. It was endearing, and it was made all the more heart-warming considering that Hank went through the effort of even wrapping a gift in the first place.

He took the box from Hank’s outstretched grip, his curiosity getting the better of him. He carefully unwrapped it, making sure to preserve the paper and bow. He opened the package to find a few different objects. The first item he pulled out was a scuffed and dirty baseball. Connor looked at Hank.

“It was the baseball my father gave me and his father gave him.” Hank began to stutter. “It’s, uh, it’s a tradition in the family for a father to pass down this ball to his, his son. It’s 84 years old.”

Connor was silent as he examined the baseball. He set it aside and pulled out the next object. His breath caught in his throat. It was a framed picture of Connor in his full police uniform, worn only for pictures and special occasions, laughing with Hank when he was officially hired by the DPD. He didn’t even know this picture was taken.

“Hank…” Connor was at a loss for words. He looked up at the grizzled detective, unexpected tears beginning to cloud.

“You got one more thing in there, kid.” Was Hank’s only reply, his own eyes becoming watery.

Connor looked down at the bottom of the box. It was a framed copy of Connor’s adoption paperwork. Connor didn’t bother to hide the tears that were now flowing freely, his LED glowing a bright blue. He didn’t know he could cry and still have a blue LED. He didn’t know he could cry because his heart felt so full.

“Hank…” Connor started.

“I know I haven’t been the best father to you, kid, but I’m tryin’ really, really hard to be better.” A single tear escaped from Hank’s eye. “I’ve been sober since that day, and I never want you to be that upset ever again. Hell, I don’t want you to be upset at all for any reason. Especially me.”

The words started pouring out of Hank. “I’ve done some pretty shitty things to you, Connor, but I want you to know that I’m sorry. And before you start, I know I’ve already said sorry, but I’m gonna say it again. I’m sorry for everything. I am going to be better, hell, I’ve already gotten better these last couple o’ months. I’m gonna be a better man, a better father. You make me want to be someone worth lookin’ up to.” Hank paused. “I love you, son.”

Connor was silent for a few moments as his processor struggled to comprehend the wave of emotion coursing through him, tears still falling. “I love you, too.” Connor paused. “Dad.”

Hank gathered the android in an awkward hug that Connor returned whole-heartedly. “I’m proud of you, Dad.”

Hank pulled out of the hug and ruffled Connor’s hair. “Go get dressed, kid. The aquarium won’t be open all day.” Connor laughed. “If you would have told me earlier and not have slept until noon, we could have already been there for a couple of hours.”

“It’s my day off; I’m not waking up before noon unless the world’s ending."

Connor walked towards his room, his brown eyes bright as he said, “We’ll see about that next Wednesday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've had so much fun writing this! A big hug (or high-five if you don't like hugs) to everyone who has left a comment or kudos! Your support is so greatly appreciated, especially considering this story was my first attempt at writing a multi-chapter fan fiction. Feel free to comment (or head over to my tumblr at https://kianmaydelcam.tumblr.com/) with prompts or anything you might like to see!


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